Module Identifier HY10610  
Module Title THE BRITISH ECONOMY SINCE 1870: GROWTH+RELATIVE DECLINE  
Academic Year 2002/2003  
Co-ordinator Dr Richard G Coopey  
Semester Semester 1  
Other staff Dr Alice Russell  
Course delivery Lecture   10 Hours  
  Seminars / Tutorials   5 Hours  
Assessment Semester Exam   2 Hours   70%  
  Semester Assessment   Essay: 1 x 2,500 word essay   30%  

Learning outcomes

On completion of this module, students should be able to:
a) Identify and explain the key historiographical debates concerning the nature, periodisation and extent of the decline of the British economy relative to competing nations.
b) Demonstrate their knowledge of the origins and composition of the British economy, particularly the division between the manufacturing sector and the commercial and trading economy centred around the City of London. Students will also demonstrate their knowledge of the regional nature of the British economy, and the impact of incidental and global events, including the World Wars and inter-war depression.
c) Reflect critically on the competing emphases historians place on the role of entrepreneurship, work cultures, institutional structures, global networks and markets, and the role of the state in promoting and retarding economic activity in Britain.
d) Gather and sift appropriate items of historical evidence
e) Develop and sustain historical arguments – in both oral (not assessed) and written work
f) Work both independently and collaboratively whilst being able to participate in group discussions (not assessed).

Brief description

This module examines the performance of the British economy from 1870 until 1990, a period of transition from domination of the world economy to Britain being one among many industrialised economies. This relative decline coincided with rapid economic growth and ever improving material standards. However, Britain's major competitors experienced even faster growth and were able to overtake Britain in many performance indicators, particularly in the years after the Second World War. The first section of the module covers the years until 1913 and examines Britain's maturity. Part two focuses on wartime upheaval, depression and recovery between 1914 and 1945. The final section assesses Britain's changing position in the world economy as well as developments in economic and social policy since 1945.

Reading Lists

Books
** Recommended Text
W. D. Rubinstein. (1993) Capitalism, Culture and Decline in Britian. Routledge
B. Elbaum and W. Lazonick. (1986) The Decline of the British Economy. Oxford
M. Wiener. (1981) English Culture and the Decline of the Industrial Spirit. Pelican